


Hyperion

by slowroad



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Creature Fic, Cross-Generation Relationship, Fluff, HP Cross Gen Fest 2020, M/M, Romance, Veela Scorpius Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowroad/pseuds/slowroad
Summary: Scorpius is a Veela and Harry is his mate.
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 7
Kudos: 55
Collections: HP Cross Gen Fest 2020





	Hyperion

**Author's Note:**

> At the time of this story, Scorpius is twenty-five and Harry is fifty-one. Scorpius was born in France and he grew up there. He moved to Britain just a few months before this story begins. 
> 
> This story is canon compliant in that Harry did marry Ginny and they did have three kids together, but they got divorced fifteen years before this story begins. 
> 
> This story is told in the first person in the words and the voice of Harry Potter. 

**Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. I have merely borrowed them for a while.**

...

The start of a new school year is always a busy time. So I was glad it was the weekend and gladder still that I wasn't on duty. It was the first Saturday of the term and I had the day to myself. I decided to spend it in Hogsmeade. It would be nice to get away from the school for a few hours.

I left after breakfast. It was a lovely Autumn day and I had a nice walk into the village. It was just past ten when I got to Hogsmeade. I wandered about a bit, buying a few supplies, things like quills, ink and parchment that I never seem to have enough of.

And then I saw _**Hyperion** ,_ the second-hand bookshop that I'd heard about. It had opened in Hogsmeade just a couple of months ago. It looked very inviting. The window displays were charming, featuring both muggle and magical books. It was nice to see _Alice in Wonderland_ and _Tales of Beadle the Bard_ sitting next to each other.

I pushed the door open and went in. The space inside was much bigger than you'd expect. The room was full of bookshelves and it had the slightly crowded feel that is typical of second-hand bookshops. There was a stack of cartons, probably full of books, piled around the counter. There was no one at the counter just then. 

I walked around the shop, looking at everything and getting a feel of the place. There were only three other people in the shop that I could see, so I practically had the place to myself. I was impressed by the sheer number and range of the books. What was of particular interest to me, was the fact that there were nearly as many muggle books as magical ones. 

An hour went by or was it two? I lost track of time as I explored that book shop. It was a delightful way to spend a quiet Saturday morning. I was in the Fantasy section, looking through a copy of Tolkien's _Unfinished Tales_ , a book that I'd been meaning to buy for a while, when I felt a ripple of awareness, the kind that you feel when someone's looking at you. I looked up. There was a young man standing a few feet away, looking curiously at me.

He was possibly the most beautiful person that I had ever laid eyes on. He was tall and slender. He had longish white-blonde hair and eyes that were grey and blue at the same time. He had delicate features, a fine nose, full lips, high cheek bones...it all added up to a beautiful face that was full of character. I was transfixed. I knew I was being rude, staring at him like that, but I couldn't help it. 

He smiled and his face lit up with warmth and mischief. I found him adorable. 

"Hi," he said.

"Hello."

"Scorpius Malfoy," he said as he came over to me and held out his hand.

"Harry Potter." 

I felt a pulse of magic as soon as I took his hand. And so did he, it seemed, but neither of us mentioned it.

"I know," he said. "It's hard not to recognise you."

"I recognised you too. I knew you had to be a Malfoy and well, there's only one Malfoy you could be."

"It's the hair, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's a bit of a giveaway."

"What do you think of this bookshop? Do you like it?" 

"Oh I do! There's such a fantastic collection of books here. There are treasures everywhere I look. And I like the fact that it is not as perfectly organized as a shop selling new books would be."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"So I was right to think that you're the owner."

"Yeah."

"Honestly, I've been waiting for someone to open a place like this in Hogsmeade."

"I'm glad I was smart enough to do it then."

"So you've moved to Britain for a while."

"For good, I think. I wasn't sure at first, but now I know."

"And your dad?"

"He's happy in France. He has no intentions of ever leaving."

"What brings you here then, if you don't mind my asking?"

"A happy chance, shall we say?"

He smiled as he said that and I was dazzled. I stared at him, unable to look away. He stared right back and there was something about the way he looked at me that made me catch my breath. 

"So...Harry," he began. "What are your plans for today?" 

"Nothing much, actually. After I'm done here, I'm going to go have a nice, long lunch and then I might go for a walk in the woods."

"That sounds lovely. When do you have to get back to Hogwarts?"

"Not until tomorrow morning, if I don't want to. Why?"

"Excellent," Scorpius said. "You go have your lunch and take your walk and come back here. I close the shop at six. We can go out to dinner after."

Scorpius was asking me out to dinner? I had no idea what to make of that. "Why?" I said, unable to hide my confusion. 

"An attractive young man asks you out to dinner and your response is to ask him why?"

"Yes. Because I don't see why that attractive young man is interested in me."

"Because you're an attractive older man. And certainly not because you're Harry Potter, in case you're worried about that. I'm not the hero worshipping type."

"I can well believe that, but..."

"I wish I could stay and chat, Harry, I really do. But I have to get back to work. Enjoy your browsing and your lunch and your walk. And come back here before six," he said and then he took a step forward, kissed me on my cheek and left before I could say or do anything.

I stood there, feeling a tingle in my cheek and smiling as he walked away. I had no idea why Scorpius was interested in me, but I was flattered and intrigued. He was unlike anyone that I'd ever met. I found him utterly charming. It's a bit unusual for me to take to someone so quickly because I'm usually quite wary of people. Scorpius is apparently an exception. 

I went back to my browsing, but I couldn't help looking up every now and then just to catch a glimpse of him. It's ridiculous how much I enjoyed looking at Scorpius. I had no idea how someone could be that flawlessly beautiful. There was something almost otherworldly about him. 

Scorpius was obviously busy. He was sorting through a few boxes of books and cataloging them, stopping every now and then to attend to a customer. There were several more people in the shop now. And yet somehow, I seemed to catch his eye nearly every time I looked up and I was always met with a smile. He looked like he was happy simply to know that I was there and that made me happy for some reason.

I could've stayed there, browsing all day, but I was getting hungry. So I gathered up the books I wanted to buy, eight in all and took them to the counter. Scorpius looked through the books I'd chosen and nodded approvingly. 

"You have excellent taste," he said.

"Thank you." 

"Now this one and this one," he said, picking up _Small Gods_ and _Author of the Century, "_ are books that I want to gift you, so we'll just put them aside and you can pay for the rest." 

I tried to protest, but he ignored me. He presented me with a bill for the rest of the books. I protested again. 

"Don't you see? I'm trying to woo you. And this is such a small thing. Just let me...please."

"Woo me?" I said, blushing a little. 

"Yes. I'll explain everything, I promise. I just don't want to do it here, in the shop where we could be interrupted at any time. The setting has to be appropriately romantic, Harry." 

I had no idea how to respond to that, so I let it go and I stopped arguing about the bill. It was time for me to leave, but I felt a strange reluctance to do so. 

Scorpius looked intently at me as I turned to go. "Promise you'll come back?" 

"Of course I will." 

I walked to the Three Broomsticks, feeling thoughtful. My day had taken a most unusual turn. Scorpius was unlike anyone I'd ever met. I found him fascinating. I wanted to know everything I could, about him. And while I was surprised that he'd asked me out, I couldn't deny that I was looking forward to it. He said he wanted to woo me...that was an interesting choice of words. I was thoroughly intrigued. 

But I was also puzzled. Why was Scorpius interested in me? That it wasn't because of the legend of Harry Potter, I was sure of. I believed him when he said he wasn't the hero worshipping type. So why then? I'm not that attractive or that interesting, really, certainly not to someone as young as Scorpius. He couldn't be more than twenty-four or twenty-five years old. 

And that was another issue. Scorpius was young enough to be my son. That thought alone should've kept me from feeling any interest in him, but it didn't. And I had no idea why.

...

It was just past 6:00 by the time I stepped into _**Hyperion**_ again. The shop was empty. Scorpius was walking around the store, picking up books that customers had left lying around and putting them back on the shelves. He turned when he heard me open the door and his face lit up with a smile that I was starting to get really fond of. 

He walked towards me and pulled me into an exuberant hug. That pulse of magic that I'd felt when we'd shaken hands that morning, that became a whole body experience the moment Scorpius put his arms around me. It left me reeling in the best way. I looked at him when he pulled back a little, I took in the brightness of his eyes, the glow in his skin, the softness of his hair and his general look of otherworldliness and things clicked into place. I knew exactly what was happening here. 

"You're a Veela, aren't you?"

"Way to ruin what was going to be a big, romantic reveal, Harry."

"Sorry. I just realised..."

"I suppose you've figured out the rest of it as well."

"Yeah. It's pretty obvious that I'm your mate."

"And?"

"And I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"You should be thrilled. You get to be with me."

"That, I agree with, but I can't help feeling that you're losing out."

"What makes you say that?"

"You end up with me."

"I fail to see your point. You're an adorable man."

It warmed my heart to hear him say that. Scorpius was the adorable one in my opinion, but maybe being soulmates means that the feeling goes both ways. 

"Thank you. But am I not too old for you? You can't be more than twenty-four or twenty-five."

"I'm twenty-five and you're fifty-one. There are twenty-six years between us. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter."

"But..."

"This is a conversation that we do need to have, but not here. Give me a few minutes to put these books away and we can leave. Let's go some place nice, have a bit of wine or whatever else you prefer, get some good food and talk at leisure. Okay?"

"Okay. Let me help you with those books."

...

Ten minutes later, we were done. Scorpius locked up the shop and we set off in search of the new restaurant that had opened in Hogsmeade. It was a short walk and we spent it talking about the bookshop. By some unspoken agreement, we'd decided to stick to fairly neutral topics until we got to the restaurant. 

Soon enough, we were seated at a quiet table in what was a charming and completely unfussy restaurant, which according to the menu was willing to serve us good, hearty, Northern Italian food. We ordered our meal and agreed to share a bottle of wine before we got to the subject that was on both our minds. 

"Why does our age difference bother you, Harry?" 

"Why doesn't it bother you?"

"Because it doesn't matter. You're my mate and that means that we belong to each other. It's as simple as that. Your age is just another part of who you are like your dark hair or your green eyes, just like my age is a part of who I am. For some reason, I need a mate who is older and you need someone who is younger. That's all it is."

"I hadn't thought of it that way. You have a point. But I can't help thinking that you deserve someone younger and certainly a lot more attractive than middle-aged me. You're so beautiful."

That made him smile. "Why thank you. I'm glad you think so. But honestly, you're not doing yourself justice. You're a very attractive man. I like looking at you. You have the most beautiful eyes. I like the little bit of grey in your hair and you have the nicest smile. And as if all of that wasn't enough, you're built like the Auror you used to be. To be honest, I can't wait to get my hands on all those muscles."

That made me blush, a fact that seemed to amuse him. 

"Awww...look at you blush. That has to be the sweetest thing I've ever seen."

"Oh hush."

"But honestly, Harry, you're just so adorable."

"..." 

The waiter arrived with our food and there was a small break in the conversation. Once he left though, I had to get back to it. 

"I just...I hate this idea of a predestined mate. You're essentially stuck with me now. You don't get a choice."

"Neither do you. But that doesn't seem to bother you. I wonder why? Is it perhaps because you feel so drawn to me that you can't imagine not liking me or not wanting to be with me?"

I hadn't thought of it in that way exactly, but Scorpius was right. 

"And it hasn't struck you that I might feel the same way about you? What do you think being each other's soulmate means?"

"So you're not even a little bit disappointed?" 

"No! Why would I be? Harry, you have got to stop thinking like this."

Scorpius reached across the table and took my hands in his. And there was that pulse of magic again. It became a pleasant hum of energy passing between our hands. It felt wonderful. It made me feel warm and safe and loved. There was a fundamental rightness to it that I couldn't deny. 

"Do you know what this tells me, Harry?" Scorpius said as he squeezed my hands. "It tells me that we have a connection that is unique and extraordinary. It tells me that we belong together. Stop questioning it, please."

It was hard to keep questioning it when Scorpius was looking at me like that, with so much warmth and affection. So I nodded. 

"Okay. I'll stop."

"I've waited eight years for this day. I've imagined it and dreamt about it and finally, here we are. I cannot tell you how absurdly happy I am."

"Then we should celebrate."

"Exactly!"

And that is what we did. We ate and drank and we talked about everything from books to friends and school experiences to childhood memories. There was such an easy flow to our conversation. We were each keenly interested in the other, so we listened and asked a lot of questions. I was thrilled with every new thing I found out about him. It felt like I was gathering these little bits and pieces of treasure and I knew he felt the same.

"Did you have a bookshop in France as well?" I asked him. 

"No. I used to work for a publishing house. I was with them for a few years. About a year ago, I started getting bored and I wanted to do something different. Running a second-hand bookshop has long been a dream of mine and that seemed like a good time to try. Initially, I thought I'd open my bookshop in France, but no matter where I looked, I couldn't find the right location or if I did, it was too expensive."

"And then one day, I picked up the _Daily Prophet_ when I was visiting my dad. I was glancing through it when I saw an ad for a shop space in Hogsmeade. I had never once considered moving to the UK until then. But something pushed me to make a call and ask about this space. So I did and...the space was big enough, the location was good, the price was reasonable and the owner was ready to sell immediately. It was all very serendipitous." 

"So much so that I had to wonder if I was being led here because this is where I would find my mate. That feeling got stronger when I came to Hogsmeade for the first time. I've been here four months now and...here you are."

"And this is the happy chance that you mentioned."

"Yeah. I cannot tell you how I felt when I saw you in the shop this morning. One look and I knew that you're my mate. And you're Harry Potter. I was so nervous when I approached you."

"Really? It didn't show at all."

"I was plenty nervous, but you're just so nice that you put me at ease right away." 

We talked for a long time that night, first at the restaurant, then back at Hogwarts as we walked around the grounds. I'd brought him there because I knew that the gardens and the lake would be lovely in the moonlight and I wanted to share that with him. Hogwarts is my home after all, my first real one and the only one that I've ever loved. 

"Sometimes I wish I'd gone to school here," Scorpius said at one point. "I've heard so much about Hogwarts from my dad that I can't help feeling like I missed out. And this place obviously means a lot to you."

"It does. It's the first place that I felt truly at home in. And if I have my way, you're going spend a lot of time here." 

"I'd like that, actually."

"This is all a bit backwards, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"We've only just met. I barely know you and yet I already have these strong feelings for you, the kind of feelings that usually come much later in a relationship. It's a bit confusing, to be honest."

"I can imagine. But I haven't known anything different because I've never been in a relationship with anyone. And being a Veela, this is what I've expected to find and feel all along." 

"You've never been in a relationship?"

"Being a Veela tends to cramp your style, Harry. Before I turned seventeen, I was too young and after that, I had no inclination to be with anyone other than my mate so...you will be my one and only," he said, grinning cheekily at me. 

I had to smile. "I feel possessive enough about you to relish that thought."

"I like the idea of possessive Harry. What about you, though? How many relationships have you had?"

"I've had three serious relationships as an adult and none of them were particularly good or happy."

"Well, your luck is about to change."

"I know. I should probably tell you that I've never been with a man before."

"Really?" 

"Yes, so in a way, you will be my one and only too."

We were standing by the lake holding hands. It was one of those moments of perfection that come along so rarely in life. I let go of his hand and drew Scorpius into my arms. I looked at that adorable face and my heart was so full that I had no words to tell him how I felt. But I think he knew. 

I kissed him on his forehead and his nose and his cheeks. Scorpius closed his eyes and let out a happy sigh. Then I kissed him softly on his lips. It was a chaste kiss, but it made me feel like fireworks had exploded in my chest. When I pulled away from him, Scorpius looked as stunned as I felt. 

"Wow!" He said as he touched his lips. 

Then he drew me into another kiss. This one was deeper and more passionate. Scorpius tightened his arms around me and we got as close to each other as we could. It was a while before we felt able to let go of each other long enough to breathe. 

"I'm going to have so much fun with you," Scorpius said. 

I laughed. I felt lighter and freer than I had ever felt before. My life had been a story of failed relationships until then. So much so that I'd given up on the idea of romantic love. And here I was at the beginning of middle age, with an adorable Veela in my arms...Life has a strange way of working out. 

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of the 2020 Harry Potter Cross Gen Fest. The author will be revealed at the end of August.


End file.
